stunt

¹ American  

[stuhnt] / stʌnt /

verb (used with object)

1. to stop, slow down, or hinder the growth or development of; dwarf.

   A harsh climate stunted the trees.

   Brutal treatment in childhood stunted his personality.

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noun

1. a stop or hindrance in growth or development.

2. arrested development.

3. a plant or animal hindered from attaining its proper growth.

4. Plant Pathology. a disease of plants, characterized by a dwarfing or stunting of the plant.

stunt ² American  

[stuhnt] / stʌnt /

noun

1. a performance displaying a person's skill or dexterity, as in athletics; feat.

   an acrobatic stunt.

2. any remarkable feat performed chiefly to attract attention.

   The kidnapping was said to be a publicity stunt.

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verb (used without object)

1. to do a stunt or stunts.

2. Television Slang. to add specials, miniseries, etc., to a schedule of programs, especially so as to increase ratings.

verb (used with object)

1. to use in doing stunts.

   to stunt an airplane.

stunt ¹ British  

/ stʌnt /

noun

1. an acrobatic, dangerous, or spectacular action

2. an acrobatic or dangerous piece of action in a film or television programme

3. anything spectacular or unusual done to gain publicity

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verb

1. (intr) to perform a stunt or stunts

stunt ² British  

/ stʌnt /

verb

1. (tr) to prevent or impede the growth or development of (a plant, animal, etc)

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noun

1. the act or an instance of stunting

2. a person, animal, or plant that has been stunted

Other Word Forms

• stunted adjective
• stuntedness noun
• stuntingly adverb
• stunty adjective

Etymology

Origin of stunt¹

First recorded in 1575–85; verb use of dialect stunt “dwarfed, stubborn”; cognate with Middle High German stunz, Old Norse stuttr “short”; akin to stint ¹

Origin of stunt²

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of stump ( def. ) (in the sense “challenge; dare”)

Example Sentences

There are no digital doubles in that sequence, but real stunt performers aboard a ship that’s not a miniature but a massive structure that moves thanks to a giant gimbal.

From Los Angeles Times

Is there a class of people with more vaulting self-belief or more stunted self-awareness than America’s journalists?

From The Wall Street Journal

Demand growth is stunted and supply remains plentiful.

From The Wall Street Journal

Oil and gas companies are facing a challenging pricing outlook as demand growth is stunted and supply remains high.

From The Wall Street Journal

He urges readers to weigh the consequences of not acting and suggests that well-meaning efforts to eliminate every hint of bias could stunt the deployment of tools that might improve outcomes, including for underserved populations.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• antic
• feat
• sketch
• skit